Pepsi Scholar Athletes The Pepsi Scholar Athlete Award is the highest student achievement honor awarded annually by the COA. The winners, along with the rest of the annual honor roll, are selected by the COA Awards Committee from nominations made by community colleges throughout California. Candidates for the Pepsi Scholar Athlete Award must carry a minimum GPA of 3.5 and must also show outstanding leadership as an athlete, student, or in other college and community activities, as well as have participated in two seasons of sport at a California community college. The Scholar Team Award is the highest academic team achievement given annually by the COA. All team members must have excelled academically with a total GPA of 3.0 or higher. The team should have demonstrated better than average accomplishments in intercolligiate athletic competition. The Commission on Athletics Awards Committee is proud to announce Jonathon Falcioni (Chaffey College) and Mary Hanley (Moorpark College) as recipients of the 2006 Pepsi Scholar Athlete Award. Falcioni and Hanley, along with the other 2006 Honor Roll members and Scholar Teams, will be honored at the Pepsi Celebration of Student Athletes Luncheon, at the 10th Annual COA Convention, on Thursday, April 5, at the Doubletree Ontario Airport Hotel in Ontario, CA. Jonathan Falcioni, Chaffey College A specialist in the backstroke at Chaffey College, Jonathan Falcioni approaches life head-on. The youngest of four boys in the Falcioni household, Jonathan began his swimming career at the age of 6 in his hometown of Alta Loma, CA. As a student athlete, he prefers to keep his grades high and his event times low. As a freshman, Falcioni raced in three individual events and four relays at the conference finals. He also qualified for the COA California Community College Championships where he was a finalist in the 200-yard Backstroke and competed in the 200 Individual Medley and 400 Individual Medley. As a sophomore, he returned to the state championships in the 200 Backstroke and 400 Individual Medley. Falcioni's head coach Mike Dickson says, "Jonathan's work ethic in and out of the pool make him a natural team leader and a clear choice as team captain." A member of the honors program at Chaffey, Falcioni's advisor described him as "a most remarkable individual who is at once a scholar, athlete, and humanitarian". He maintained a 4.0 throughout his Chaffey College career, and was honored as his class valedictorian. Falcioni shared his leadership skills with the community through his involvement with the honor society Phi Theta Kappa. The group organized many community service activities, and Falcioni emerged as a leader and become a vital part of the events. He participated in the Relay for Life Marathon which promotes cancer awareness globally, and the Muddy Buddy biathlon to raise money for the Challenged Athletes Foundation. Falcioni is currently attending the University of California, Santa Barbara as a political science major. After graduation, he is considering a tour of duty with the Peace Corps, which would provide him an opportunity to further explore his interests in foreign relations and community service. Mary Hanley, Moorpark College Mary Hanley was a two-year star on the Moorpark College track and field team, qualifying for the COA California Community College Championships in 2005 and 2006 in both the hammer and discus events. She helped the Raiders to a second-place finish at the championships in 2006 by placing 5th in hammer and 7th in discus at the state event. She was named to the All-Western State Conference second-team in hammer and received honorable mention in discus. Hanley's best marks include an impressive 152-0 in the hammer, a 146-5 in the discus, and a 40-5 in the shot put. She was named the Moorpark College Athlete of the Year in 2006. In the classroom, Hanley maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA as she tackled courses such as micro and macroeconomics, and calculus with analytic geometry. In 2006, she received the Moorpark College Dean's Scholarship, Associated Student's Scholarship, and the Jason Raufman Memorial Scholarship. Teachers often refer to her as a "jewel" in the classroom referencing her excellent presence and politeness. Combining her interest in business with her athletic talents, Hanley established the Moorpark Track and Field club and was involved in several community service activities. She was a member of the Alpha Gamma Sigma, a service-oriented honor society. She was a member of Project Concern, a group that assists students in need of food and clothing, and she served as a part- time helper at the Redwood Middle School autism program. She also shared her academic skills as a math tutor for elementary and middle school children. Hanley is currently attending the University of California, Los Angeles, majoring in economics and competing on the UCLA track and field team. 2006 Pepsi Scholar Athlete Honor Roll Nicholas Falcioni Santa Ana - Track and Field Chad Freeman Santa Barbara - Track and Field Andrew McNeil Citrus - Water Polo Allen Smith Shasta - Baseball Dan Weiner Palomar - Football Jack Hui Desert - Tennis Cong Zhao Sacramento - Swimming Adriana Borman Citrus - Golf Ashley Casassa Solano- Soccer Torri Catalano Saddleback - Softball Tiffany Fisher Modesto - Track and Field Amy Jay Hoyt Cuyamaca - Basketball Krystal Quinn Antelope Valley - Track and Field Stephanie Rosa Sacramento - Basketball Nicole Ruesch Chaffey - Water Polo Cassidy Smith Butte - Volleyball 2005-06 Scholar Teams FALL 2005 Spring 2006 Women's Basketball: Butte Baseball: Cypress Women's Cross Country: West Valley Men's Golf: Santa Barbara Men's Cross Country: Cuesta Softball: Shasta Men's Water Polo: LA Valley Men's Swimming: Ventura Women's Golf: Sierra Women's Swimming: Diablo Valley Men's Soccer: West Valley Men's Tennis: Allan Hancock Women's Soccer: Santiago Canyon Women's Tennis: El Camino Women's Water Polo: Orange Coast Women's Track and Field: Moorpark Women's Volleyball: Glendale